1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus, a control method therefor, and a computer-readable storage medium storing a program for implementing the control method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electricity prices are calculated based on power usage within a calculation time period such as one month. Therefore, a setting value is determined for power usage within a calculation time period, and this is allocated to apparatuses so that the total amount of power used by the apparatuses can be prevented from exceeding the setting value, and electricity prices be kept at a predetermined level or less (see, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2011-239306).
On the other hand, when there is a demand for power exceeding the amount of power to be supplied, a power outage may occur, and hence it is necessary to adjust the amount of power to be supplied based on an expected demand for power. It is, however, difficult to immediately change the amount of power to be supplied.
In general, a demand for power reaches a peak in a specific time period such as daytime on weekdays and it is thus necessary to cut this peak and prevent a power demand from exceeding the amount of power to be supplied.
To facilitate this, there has been introduced a system called a demand response in which electricity unit prices are cut based on an upper limit to power consumption. Accordingly, there has been proposed a peak cut technique that controls apparatuses such that maximum power consumption never exceeds a value determined in advance (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2011-239306).
By reducing power usage during a calculation time period for electricity prices, electricity prices can be kept at a certain level or lower, but unless an integrated value of power usage during that time period exceeds a setting value, apparatuses may use power to a maximum extent, and hence power consumption cannot be equalized.
On the other hand, according to the peak cut technique, in general, power consumption is allocated to apparatuses, which are targets to be controlled, based on maximum power consumption determined in advance, and the apparatuses operate with power consumption allocated thereto.
In this case, however, limitations have to be placed on operations so that processes can be performed with allocated power consumption, and hence in a period of time for which peak cut is required, desired operations may not be carried out.